Jennifer Le Zotte’s article “Why Marie Kondo’s Netflix Show Won’t Actually Change Us” raises important points about cultural differences and living space, and also, about the differences between a book and its visual interpretation through a medium like television.

Le Zotte explains the history of conspicuous consumption in America, and makes a compelling case of how acquisitiveness came to be deeply embedded in our culture. “Decluttering” doesn’t lead to a downsized life – we simply replace the discarded items with things we consider “better.”

She also examines how Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” (the 2014 best-seller that inspired the Netflix show) presents a deeper, more expanded view of the benefits of decluttering than can be portrayed in a short television program. The Netflix show focuses more on the people Kondo is helping than the method itself, and the cultural differences between Kondo and her American clients are played for humor.

The article is thought-provoking, and if you have any interest in these topics, I recommend it. Click on the photo below to read it: